Skip to main content


Welcome, you are visiting SMTI

Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative
The Science & Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI) is a collaboration of public university leaders working to catalyze action across sectors-state and federal governments, the business community, the K-12 community, and others--to adequately prepare teachers to teach science and mathematics in the 21st century. APLU's 218-member institutions and university systems, with their heavy involvement in research and education in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, are ideally positioned to make significant contributions to the critical needs for highly qualified and diverse science and mathematics teachers. Please also visit, www.teacher-imperative.org.

Show Full Abstract

Project Contributions

Discussion Paper: The Common Core State Standards and Teacher Preparation: The Role of Higher Education
"This document sets forth an ambitious vision for the role of higher education and its collaborations with other stakeholders in working to support the effective implementation of the CCSS.…
Video: Higher Education and Common Core State Standards (120 minutes)
The common core state standards for mathematics and recently released science framework provide an opportunity to improve K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. However, a significant challenge to…
Developing the Analytic Framework ©: Assessing Innovation and Quality Design In Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation
This white paper describes the development of the Analytic Framework, a "taxonomic" tool for documenting and comparing attributes of science and math teacher preparation and development across the nation to…
Improving State Need Assessments of Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers: Challenges, Possibilities, and Recommendations
Accompanying the growing call of our nation's political, business, and education leaders to strengthen the science and mathematics skills of our nation's children is the recognition that this will not…
Public Research Universities Commit to Doubling the Teachers They Prepare
Posted by: Kacy Redd . Forty-four institutions have publicly committed to doubling the number of science and mathematics teachers they prepare. Thirty-nine of these institutions were included in a Letter to President Obama on January…
SMTI announces new web tool: Improving State Need Assessments of Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers
Posted by: Kacy Redd . A new SMTI tool has just been launched! Improving State Need Assessments of Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers: Challenges, Possibilities, and Recommendations aims to provide guidance for state and university…
Change in Higher Education at the TLC Retreat in Miami, FL
Posted by: Kacy Redd . Change in Higher Education was the main topic of discussion at the second national meeting of The Leadership Collaborative (TLC) held on Jan. 6-8, 2010. Ann Austin, a national expert, stressed the importance of finding leaders…
APLU's Analytic Framework receives a supplemental grant from NSF
Posted by: Kacy Redd . APLU has received an NSF RETA Supplement grant for almost $300,000 for the further development of the Analytic Framework (AF) which includes developing an on-line survey tool based on the…
New SMTI Executive Committee
Posted by: Kacy Redd . The new SMTI Executive Committee, chaired by Lee Todd, President of the University of Kentucky, will hold its inaugural meeting during the SMTI 2010 National Conference. This distinguished set of…
SMTI 2010 National Conference Registration is Open
Posted by: Kacy Redd . The SMTI National Conference is an opportunity for faculty and administrators of APLU universities to build a national movement to significantly enhance the priority of science and mathematics teacher preparation…
Public Research University Leaders Pledge to Address Shortage of Science and Mathematics Teachers
Posted by: Kacy Redd . Public research university leaders pledged to address the national shortage of science and mathematics teachers through the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI) in a letter presented to President Barack…